SFO International Terminal Named in Honor of Sen. Dianne Feinstein

The San Francisco Airport Commission this week voted to name the SFO international terminal in honor of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who passed away last year after an illustrious 42-year career devoted to public service. Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman helped organize members of the Feinstein 100 Plus Committee, chaired by former San Francisco Mayor and former California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, in advocating for the change during testimony at the Airport Commission. Wunderman served as a senior advisor to Feinstein when she was mayor and remained a close confidante throughout her career.

The resolution to name the International Airport after Senator Feinstein was put forward by former Airport Director and former Council Executive Committee member John Martin and read aloud at the meeting by current Airport Director and Council Executive Committee member Ivar Satero.

Feinstein was a major champion for the airport, helping usher in major improvements during both her term as Mayor and later as Senator that were critical to expanding SFO’s international reach, including the creation of SFO’s first International Terminal and setting the stage for the its incredible replacement.  While in the Senate she was a major force in delivering BART to SFO.   

Feinstein was also a strong proponent of expanding and deepening the Bay Area’s global ties, for which the Council honored her (pictured above) in 2020 with our annual Global Leadership Award. She established San Francisco’s historic sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between a U.S. and Chinese city and one of several sister-city relationships she created.